By Jim Densham, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland trustee
Some may be surprised to learn that the largest source of climate-damaging emissions in Scotland isn’t in fact electricity generation, how we heat our homes or even big industrial plants – but rather how we all get around. Nearly a third of emissions come from transport and the biggest contributor by far is our car use.
Since the 1990s, Scotland has largely decarbonised the production of electricity, and industry has cut emissions by more than half. But over that period climate pollution from transport has reduced by only 12%. At this glacial rate, it will take 260 years before we get to zero emissions from transport.
Electric cars are a cleaner transport solution, but they aren’t a panacea for society. If we just swap our petrol and diesel cars for electric vehicles we will perpetuate problems of congested streets – which costs £2bn per year – not finding anywhere to park, unsafe roads and the fact that 35% of Scots do little or no activity each week.
In the fight for a cleaner planet and a safer climate, it’s time to get serious and re-think, re-design and re-imagine how we move through our streets, towns, cities and countryside.
Our everyday travel choices have a significant impact on the climate. Yet, these choices are not always entirely within our control. Sometimes, our daily mode of transport is less of a matter of choice than we think it is – studies show that travel habits are deeply ingrained and it’s all too easy to simply grab the car keys when we want to go somewhere. On the other hand, for people living in rural areas like remote parts of Scotland, the car may be less a choice and more a necessity, despite the financial strain it can place on household budgets.
We know that people in Scotland want safe and convenient routes to walk and cycle, and more frequent, reliable and affordable public transport. The Scottish Government needs to prioritise providing more and better transport choices, so we aren’t forced to use a car. Cars will still play their part, but national and local government needs to make it an easier choice to leave the car at home.
The Scottish Government will be publishing a new strategy in the coming weeks with the aim of reducing the number of car journeys taken in Scotland. In its long-awaited ‘Route Map,’ the government needs to show how it will make alternatives to driving not only a sensible option, but genuinely attractive. It must also put policies in place which make journeys by car much less enticing, especially when there are better, faster, easier, and cheaper options for the same journey.
The challenge for government is to give us all the option to get around our communities safely, responsibly and with less impact on the planet. No one wants to feel trapped into using a car, but too often in today’s Scotland, it’s the only option.
This article appeared in The National on 1st December
